Thursday, April 19, 2012

Pump Your Book Tour: Hearts That Survive: A Novel of the Titanic by Yvonne Lehman

ABOUT HEARTS THAT SURVIVE: A NOVEL OF THE TITANIC

In April 1912, Lydia Beaumont is on her way to a new life with a boundless hope, against all that Craven Dowd desires for her and himself. Her friendship with Caroline Chadwick deepens as they plan Lydia’s wedding on board the “grandest ship ever built.” Then both women suffer tragic losses when the “unsinkable” Titanic collides with an iceberg and there are only 20 lifeboats for 2207 passengers. They struggle to keep their families and dreams together.

Decades later, Caroline’s granddaughter, working at the museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia, plans for the 50th memorial for the sinking and contacts survivors and descendants of survivors. Alan Morris feels like a failure until he discovers he is the descendant of an acclaimed novelist who lost his life when the Titanic sank. He becomes caught up in finding his identity in the past and must come to terms with his present and the meaning of true success.
Characters struggle to answer whether love is more powerful than the pain of loss and learn what it means for a heart to survive.

ABOUT YVONNE LEHMAN

Hearts that Survive – A Novel of the Titanic is Yvonne Lehman’s 50th novel. She is a best-selling, award winning author who founded and directed the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference for 25 years and now directs the Blue Ridge “Autumn in the Mountains” Novelist Retreat held annually in October (www.lifeway.com/novelretreat). She lives in Black Mountain, amid the panoramic views of the Blue Ridge. She mentors students for the Christian Writers Guild. She earned her Master’s Degree in English at Western Carolina University and has taught English and Creative Writing on the college level.

The year is 1812 and Lydia Beaumont is very much in love. Her beloved John Ancell and [one could call him her guardian] Craven Dowd are on the Maiden voyage of the Titanic. Lydia and John are expecting and decide the right thing to do is to marry immediately. You will read a description of how one of the most glamorous and beautiful and magical wedding ends up being.
The wedding takes place, at 1030pm on the 14th of April 1912. We all know what happened, almost to horrible to even say. Lydia and her baby to be, do survive, as does Craven. There are others that will impact each others lives for decades. There are the children of the famous author Henry Stanton-Jones, Phoebe and Henry. There is also Caroline Chadwick and her maid [friend] Bess.
This book will hold you spell bound, and you will not be able to put it down. Loved it, but it is hard to read about all the poor people who lost their lives on this ship! Keep the tissues handy.

I received this book from the publisher Abingdon Press, and was not required to give a positive review.